


Cute

by cafephan



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, top quality banter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-07
Updated: 2015-04-07
Packaged: 2018-03-21 18:18:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3701797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cafephan/pseuds/cafephan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bored of London and in need of new clothes for a movie premiere, Dan and Phil head to Manchester for an impromptu shopping trip, resulting in more than they bargained for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cute

“Not to forget, the event is smart casual attire and will start promptly at eight o’clock sharp” Dan read from his phone, and Phil sat back on the sofa and chuckled.

“Not that they want much” he joked, and Dan laughed before heading into the kitchen, beginning to rummage through various cupboards.

Phil returned to his laptop and proceeded to catch up on a few YouTube videos before an echoed bang was heard from the kitchen, and he took an earphone out to listen to the story behind Dan now stood upright rubbing his head and giving the cupboard door the death stare.

“I have nothing to wear” he stated simply, nothing else.

“You have nearly two wardrobes full of clothes, idiot” Phil replied, shifting his head to the side slightly to accentuate his confusion. 

“No, I have nothing for this premiere. I’ve worn everything too many times and I don’t think they’ll appreciate me rolling up in joggers and one of your shirts, since I sure as hell have nothing else” Dan huffed before closing all the cupboards and trudging into his bedroom, closing the door gently behind him.

Phil rolled his eyes and diverted his attention once again back to his laptop, and continued catching up with his subscription box. He became so engrossed in the task that he didn’t notice Dan’s return, never mind that he was now sat directly in front of him, repeating his name.

It wasn’t until Dan closed the laptop onto Phil’s hands that their gazes met, and Dan turned on the charm. The platonic, best friend charm, of course.

“So I’ve been thinking” Dan began, and Phil raised an eyebrow, intrigued as to where the (currently one-sided) conversation was going.

“Since I have nothing to wear, we could go for a day out and I could actually get something wearable?” he suggested, and Phil couldn’t help but laugh.

“If that’s what you want, sure. But let’s not go into London, we’ve scoured every shop a million times. Fancy Manchester?” Phil compromised, and Dan nodded instantly, not ignoring the excitement in Phil’s eyes and the fact that his own throat went dry just at the mention of the city.

“Yeah, um, I’ll just get ready then we can leave straight away” Dan replied before standing up and walking back into his bedroom, feeling as if he was almost in a haze, even his vision seemed to be a little bit cloudy.

Phil giggled once Dan’s door closed, he wondered how Dan would react to the Manchester proposition, and neither of them would ever forget the memories attached to the place. Any excuse to go back, they would both snatch with both hands – provided they went together.

***

A much too long train journey later, the two men stepped off the train and looked around the station fondly, recalling fondly all the memories from the not too many years ago.

“It’s crazy to be here again, isn’t it?” Dan spoke quietly and softly, for a reason Phil was unsure of. Regardless, Phil nodded and grinned, before ascending the staircase out of the station, a seemingly dazed Dan followed.

The two strolled along a few streets until they reached the first row of shops, and stopped outside one promoting suits and ties in the window. “Are you sure this is smart casual? I don’t want to look like a complete twat tonight” Dan asked, tight-lipped as he attempted to see what other goods the shop stocked through the window without actually walking inside.

“Better than the alternative” Phil pointed to the shop next door, displaying low-riding jeans and cropped hoodies in the window. 

Dan shuddered and in response briskly walked into the shop consisting of formal attire, and Phil followed, still grinning.

After insisting to a far too friendly shop assistant they could shop for themselves, Dan scoured through rails and rails of clothes at lightning speed, occasionally uttering taboo, releasing pent-up anger.

Phil stuck to observing the shoe wall, as he didn’t need any new clothes (neither did Dan, but Phil was willing to admit it and save a bit of money) and it was when the harsh scraping metal on metal sound originated from behind him he dared to face Dan, who was far from the easiest person to go shopping with anyway.

Dan stood with armfuls of clothes, piling up to just above his chin.

“I can’t choose” he told Phil sadly, and dumped the pile on one of the stools, creasing a large majority of the fabrics in the process.

“Too bad we have a gaming channel, you should have started a haul channel on your own instead” Phil laughed as Dan became frustrated again at the task of selecting a matching outfit, which he continuously failed to do.

“Hey. Dan and Phil Beauty could still be a thing, beauty gurus do hauls” Dan muttered in a joking tone, much too focused on his clothes-related task to fully involve himself in the banter.

“Yeah, you can handle the hauls and I can do the hair tutorials” Phil added, and Dan dropped the shirt he was holding to stare at Phil, giving him the infamous _are you serious _look.__

__“When I have the best hair? No mate, I’ll handle the hair too” Dan insisted before returning back to his shirt debacle, leaving a hysterical Phil in his wake._ _

__“You’re alright laughing but you know it’s true, you’ve had crappy straighteners since back before we even met” Dan recalled, which only spurred Phil’s laughter on more._ _

__***_ _

__“I can’t do it, it’s too hard” Dan announced before sitting on a stool, head in hands._ _

__This was now the eighth shop they’d tried, and Dan was still as indecisive as ever. As with all other shops, he had narrowed his choices down to an even fourteen, but, as with all the other shops, he couldn’t make a decision._ _

__“Well we’re not making it a wasted journey, pick something” Phil prompted, hoping his implied tough love technique would have the desired effect._ _

__“Okay then, best friend, you pick for me. Make me look dashing” Dan sat back and smirked, as a bewildered Phil lost the smile on his face._ _

__“You want me to pick your clothes for you?” he asked, suddenly feeling the weight of the task. Dan was a very conscious person, and Phil really didn’t want to be the reason Dan felt conscious at the premiere. He’d never hear the end of it when they got home._ _

__Dan nodded. “Yep, I’ll go with whatever you choose” he stated, and without realising Phil had nodded and was walking towards some rails of clothes, beginning to rifle through with no idea what he was looking for._ _

__“Oh, and one more thing. I want to make this more interesting” Dan whispered as he ran to the opposite side of the rail Phil was currently located at._ _

__“Why are you whispering?”_ _

__“Because this is top secret and there’s a fan over there. Can’t have this leaked to Twitter before tonight. Are you in?” he whispered again, and Phil made a hand gesture for Dan to continue, which he did._ _

__“Since you’re picking what I’m wearing, I’ll pick what you’re wearing” he proposed, a daring look in his eyes._ _

__“But I already have things to wear, we came here for you” Phil responded, slowly returning to sifting through the clothes._ _

__“Come on,” Dan pleaded, elongating the vowel sounds, “it’ll be fun! Besides, we’re not making this a wasted journey” he mocked Phil’s earlier words in a high pitched voice which made Phil chuckle._ _

__“You know what? Fine. I’ll pay for yours and you pay for mine” Phil accepted the offer and Dan clapped his hands in delight, before heading for the exit._ _

__“Where are you going?” Phil asked in confusion._ _

__“Well I’m not going to stay here and let you see what I’m picking for you, am I? I’ll see you at the train station in two hours, good luck” he even did a salute, which added to the weirdness of the day thus far._ _

__With a shake of his head Phil was more focused than ever, he was going to make Dan stand out, of that he was determined._ _

__***_ _

__“And you don’t know what the other’s picked? That’s a risky game” Louise laughed down the phone, and Dan joined in, because it really was._ _

__“That’s the point, I guess. I’m really nervous but really excited? I think Phil will be thoroughly pleased with his outfit for the evening, though” Dan told her, and Louise laughed again._ _

__They were back home, and Phil was currently showering as the premiere was only four hours away (they had to get there early to deal with the press junket and red carpet business), and they had yet to exchange clothes. Dan had taken the time to fill Louise in about his and Phil’s collaborative dare, and she had repeatedly told Dan ‘it’s stupid’ and will ‘probably backfire’._ _

__“I really wish I could see the end result, though, but I just don’t feel up to it tonight” Louise sighed, and Dan was downhearted a little that Louise wouldn’t be at the premiere with them, but soon perked up as he heard the shower being turned off, not long now._ _

__“We’ll send you a selfie, don’t you worry. Anyway I think it’s time, wish me luck” his voice was emphasising his glee, and Louise had to have picked up on it._ _

__“Well, good luck then, crazy boy. Don’t have too much fun tonight, okay?”_ _

__“I won’t, even though I’ll be looking so attractive it’ll make everyone’s eyes melt, probably. That will be fun” Dan pondered the possibility, and then ended the call with Louise just as Phil walked back into the living room, shopping bag in hand._ _

__They both moved into the middle of the living room and sat facing each other, cross legged, shopping bags in front of them._ _

__“I’m dreading what you’re putting me in” Phil revealed and Dan laughed mischievously._ _

__“Same, though” he replied, cutting the laugh off abruptly._ _

__They quickly exchanged bags, and with a shared grin they slowly pulled out their outfits for the evening. As they exchanged looks, the overall reaction was unreadable._ _

__“Are you joking?” Dan asked, holding the top-half of the outfit and shifting his gaze from it to Phil, and back again._ _

__“Nope, have fun. I think it’ll look cute, though. Dashing, you might say” Phil smiled as he placed his clothes back in the bag and walked into his room, presumably getting ready to dress for the premiere._ _

__Dan eventually did the same, and wondered how the hell he could work this outfit in any way, shape or form._ _

__In the other room, now fully dressed, Phil was pleasantly surprised with how the outfit tied together, and thought that, in hindsight, he might have overdone the humour of Dan’s outfit. With no indication of whether Dan was taking the proposition as a joke or not, Phil had no idea whether or not to do so either, so he went for what he considered a compromise, but compared to Dan’s choice one aspect trounced the other._ _

__Regretfully, Phil found himself knocking on Dan’s door to explain himself and admit that Dan won the bet by taking it seriously. When the door opened, it was hard for Phil to keep his mouth closed. He knew that he probably shouldn’t be looking at his best friend in such a way, but there had always been something between the two of them, nothing either wanted to ever question or get rid of._ _

__“What? Oh god it’s awful, isn’t it. Damn it Phil, I told you I didn’t want to look like a twat tonight!” Dan sighed as he walked past Phil into the living room, unintentionally taking Phil’s gaze with him._ _

__He managed to snap out of his temporary paralysis at just the right time. “No, like I said before, I think it looks cute” Phil commented, and Dan turned to face him, attempting to read his expression._ _

__“Shut up, idiot. I have an idea” Dan pulled out his phone and clicked onto the camera, switching it to video mode. Phil was a little disheartened that Dan obviously didn’t take his heartfelt compliment seriously, but did his best to seem unaffected by it._ _

__“So, tell the viewers what you’re wearing tonight, Mr Lester” Dan commentated off-camera, and Phil stayed where he was, staring at Dan in pure confusion._ _

__“You’re vlogging?” he asked, and Dan threw his head back and laughed._ _

__“Know your audience, Phil. Obviously not. By viewers I mean Louise” Dan quipped, and Phil nodded in understanding._ _

__“Well, um, I’m wearing the very first Howell original styled outfit” Phil began, and Dan flipped the phone around to wink at the camera, before flipping it back around to Phil._ _

__“So there’s some skinny jeans here, a snazzy little polka button-up and a blazer, I guess that’s it” Phil completed his brief ootd, and Dan coughed, getting Phil’s attention, and looked down to Phil’s feet._ _

__“Oh, and some flippers, apparently” he added, and the camera panned down to the much-too-long shoes._ _

__Dan flipped the camera around to himself again. “I figured that if any of the characters drown and the 3D is really realistic, Phil can swim away to safety” he explained jokily, and Phil rolled his eyes playfully._ _

__“Alright, you’re up, Howell. Show off my fashionista abilities” Phil demanded before taking the phone and putting the spotlight on Dan._ _

__“Well as the nastier of the two of us, Phil decided to troll me” Dan gave an over-exaggerated sigh to the camera, making Phil giggle._ _

__“I still think it looks cute” he called off-camera, and Dan flicked him off._ _

__“So I guess it’s just some skinny jeans, a bright ass red shirt that doesn’t match anything and a leather jacket that I don’t want to show you the back of” Dan rushed through his description, and Phil ran behind Dan to show the back of the jacket before he had a chance to protest._ _

__“Oh and the idiot strikes again. What you’re seeing now is the back of the jacket, which very helpfully adds to the anti-aesthetics, as it has my surname in gold sequins, a lovely investment and addition to the jacket, evidently” he added, and Phil flipped the camera to himself._ _

__“I thought so too at the time, hence why it’s a thing” Phil told the camera with a shrug, and Dan huffed, stating something along the lines of ‘I look like I’ve been dressed in stuff from a lost property box’ under his breath._ _

__The video ended and was sent to Louise, at the same time the taxi arrived outside the building to take them to the premiere._ _

__“I can’t believe I’m going out like this” Dan mumbled as they left the flat._ _

__“I still think it’s cute”_ _

__“Shut up”_ _

__***_ _

__The premiere was insane. Fans lined one side of the railings, paparazzi the other, all screaming alike to get the attention of the red carpet attendees._ _

__Dan and Phil left the taxi as nervous wrecks, still not fully used to the red carpet experience, and even more nervous that they couldn’t see anyone they knew, they were going to have it brave it alone. Well, the two of them together, alone._ _

__As was routine, the red carpet attendees spoke to various members of the paparazzi and partook in three minute interviews for websites or magazines, and Dan and Phil were no exception._ _

__“And here we have YouTube sensations Dan and Phil! How are you doing tonight, guys?” a woman asked, a microphone shoved in their faces a second later._ _

__“Um, yeah, we’re doing good, I guess? We feel a little underdressed” Phil answered with a chuckle, and the woman nodded, other members of the paparazzi surrounding her writing in notebooks._ _

__“May I compliment your outfits? They’re definitely the most unique ones we’ve seen tonight” the woman smiled, shoving the microphone into their faces once again._ _

__“Thankyou, but one of us looks better than the other. There’s an interesting story behind all of this, though” Dan answered, gesturing between himself and Phil._ _

__“Yeah, Dan’s the one that looks better, isn’t he? He looks really cute tonight” Phil added, before dragging Dan away to another reporter screaming their names and waggling a microphone, even more hysterically following Phil’s last statement._ _

__Dan didn’t know what to make of what just happened, he hadn’t comprehended it yet in order to make anything of it. The next few interviews were a blur, Phil spoke on behalf of the both of them. But, one thing kept in Dan’s mind, a thing that was a recurrence in every interview._ _

___“He looks really cute tonight” ____ _

____A ton of press exposure later, a guard was signalling for Dan and Phil to follow him inside the building, presumably as the film was about to begin soon._ _ _ _

____As they sat beside each other, sharing an armrest, Dan wanted to get something out in the open before the screen went dark and he wouldn’t be able to have a reciprocal conversation with Phil for another two and a half hours._ _ _ _

____“What was all that in the interviews?” he asked, and Phil didn’t appear to be listening as he picked up the complementary popcorn and placed the box on his lap._ _ _ _

____“Honesty, my dear, is what I believe they call it” he replied, now maintaining eye contact with Dan as he ate a few pieces of popcorn._ _ _ _

____“I don’t get what you-“_ _ _ _

____“Then allow me”_ _ _ _

____Before Dan could comprehend what was happening, Phil’s lips were on his, and it felt different, ideal, like it was something he’d always needed, but never knew what until right now. It was much too soon when Phil pulled away, so Dan took it upon himself to recreate the magic, and leaned in himself, eradicating the hint of doubt that was present in Phil’s eyes._ _ _ _

____“Well that’s not long overdue at all” Phil smiled, leaning back in his seat, his hand finding Dan’s on the armrest and linking their fingers._ _ _ _

____“I can’t believe that just happened, does this mean?” Dan asked, his dream from 2009 onwards hanging in the balance._ _ _ _

____“If you want it to mean” Phil chuckled in response, and, not being able to resist (and because he could, now) Dan leaned in for another kiss, and he took the liberty of mumbling “oh, I want” against Phil’s lips just afterwards._ _ _ _

____“Only the first night of being my boyfriend and you’re already wearing my clothes” Phil whispered in Dan’s ear, prompting Dan to roll his eyes._ _ _ _

____“You’re so lame. But, the jacket says my name, not yours, sorry buddy. I know you paid for them, but that’s not the point” Dan shrugged, and Phil pouted slightly before bolting upright in his seat._ _ _ _

____“Swap jackets? Then I won’t look like such an idiot with what I just said” he asked, and Dan laughed before removing the leather jacket and taking Phil’s blazer, which admittedly complimented the red shirt much better._ _ _ _

____“This feels much better” Phil announced as he snuggled into the jacket, and Dan nodded in genuine agreement._ _ _ _

____“Maybe I’ll officially have your last name someday, but for now I’ll keep this jacket” Phil added a few seconds later, causing Dan’s eyes to widen and a grin to form on his lips, and Phil burrowed into the jacket, hiding his blush._ _ _ _

____Before Dan had a chance to question or beg for what Phil just said, the screen went dark and the room went silent, signalling the film’s beginning._ _ _ _

____Not opting to say anything else out of worry of drawing attention to them, Dan reached for some popcorn and brushed against Phil’s hand, and with no warning he pulled Dan in for another kiss, and whispered against his lips._ _ _ _

____“This was the most fun I’ve ever had”_ _ _ _

**Author's Note:**

> Excuse my lame pun in the summary, I couldn't help myself.
> 
> Check out this and my other works on my phanfiction blog; cafephan.tumblr.com 
> 
> xx


End file.
